Travel, Pictures and observations of things real and imagined.
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Friday, August 27, 2010

Gardens above

The High Line opened as public park in New York on June 9th 1990.It started life as an elevated railway freight line in 1939. It was designed to allow trains to go straight into and through the buildings it stopped at to deliver and pick up cargo. This feature was designed to reduced the massive pilferage suffered by street level trains in the city. Its original route ran from 34th street to St John's Terminal at Spring Street. With the rise of interstate trucking, the High Line suffered in much the same way as all urban freight services. The last load (three cars of frozen turkeys) rolled down its tracks in 1980. Up until the 1990s the tracks fell into disrepair and the structure was a a blight on the Lower West side, abandoned and symbolising urban decay.Though scheduled for demolition the structure was deemed sound and a group of civic minded souls lobbied for a " greener" alternative than condo redevelopment . The result was the "New High Line": an elevated park and slash of green winding from Gansevoort (note the Dutch name from Manhattan's ancient past) in the Meat Packing district to 20th. The park will eventually run 10 more blocks to 30th.

I'd seen the structure from street level a few times from the window of a cab and always wondered what it was and whether it was worth a pic or two.

I never seemed to be able to carve out the time to go and have a look.

I got up at 6am and had to wait until 7 to go up and take a look.

Nice enough.

A cool little change in the landscape of an ever changing city.

You're right if you're thinking this isn't a riveting post, but if you get to NYC the High Line is a nice easy walk up above the lower West side.

Even you NY readers, who've heard about it, but never done it, may go after reading this post and enjoy yourselves.

Its gotta be better than sitting in front of the TV yelling at the screen whilst watching FOX news.

No question.

Get out and get some exercise instead of watching cartoons.

Glen Beck or a stroll in the park?

Turning on the news this morning I see the wing-nut superbowl is in full swing at the Lincoln memorial.

About Me

I spend the majority of my life on the road for my job and this little travelogue fulfils two purposes:
It lets me document the little vignettes which unroll all around you if you take the time to pay attention. It also lets me live under the illusion that my job doesn't dictate every aspect of my life.